536 AD: How Did Humanity Survive The Worst Year In History?

The empire of ancient Greece was one of the most advanced and most powerful of the ancient world. This ancient superpower would go on to influence all aspects of human society thousands of years after their empire's demise. Their heroes, villains, gods and goddesses have lived on in infamy, but what was life like for the ordinary person in this time?

In a world-first experiment, British cab driver Alan Bilis—diagnosed with terminal cancer—volunteers his body to solve a 3,000-year-old mystery: the "secret art" of mummification. For years, historians believed the Egyptians used simple dry salt to preserve their Pharaohs, but Dr. Stephen Buckley and Dr. Jo Fletcher have a radical new theory. 💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 📺 You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

In 1972, while digging a hill in Changsha, workers stumbled upon a tomb that would rewrite the history of death. Inside was Lady Dai (Xin Zhui), a woman who died 160 years before Christ, yet her skin was still soft, her limbs were flexible, and her veins still contained red blood. 💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 📺 You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

Jack London was the most famous American writer of the twentieth century, but he didn't always have an easy time of it. This symbol of adventure was at different times a vagabond, gold prospector, sailor, farmer, war reporter and socialist militant. 💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits!

The catastrophic volcanic eruption of 535 AD, likely Krakatoa, had far-reaching impacts on global climate and human history. This documentary explores how the eruption caused drastic environmental changes, leading to widespread crop failures, famine, and societal upheaval. Through scientific analysis and historical evidence, it connects this climatic catastrophe to the outbreak of the Antonine Plague, demonstrating how a single natural event reshaped civilizations, decimated populations, and set the stage for one of history's deadliest pandemics. Join us on a journey uncovering the interconnectedness of nature's fury and human suffering. 💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits!

King Henry VIII is one of history’s most recognizable figures, but the man behind the myth is far more complex than his six wives and his famous appetite. This documentary tracks the radical transformation of the "Royal Spare" who was never meant to be King. From his golden youth as a pious polyglot and star athlete to the tragic jousting accident that left him in lifelong agony, we explore how a desperate obsession with a male heir led Henry to tear his kingdom apart. Discover the truth behind the Bloody Reformation, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the chilling moment he warned his third wife to "remember Anne" when she dared to question his authority. Was he a cold-blooded monster, or a man haunted by the traumatic civil wars of his father's past? 💚 Join the Absolute History club to get access to exclusive member benefits! 📺 You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries